The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-01-06

Teeth for Ten Dollars at the office
of DIR. Jones, Dentist
A number Of young and middle aged
men in the North part of town have
drawn up and signed an agreement to
refrain from taking any intoxicants
for one year-or until New Years,
1883. The forfeit, in case OF viola
ton Of this pledge, is that the one so
violating pay to each of the others one
dollar. A violation, therefore, will
cost the violator the sum of ten dol
lars. This is good, as far as it goes,
from the fact that, if our young friends
find that they can abstain from the
use of Intoxicating drinks for one year,
it will be abundant evidence that they
can for two, three, or ten years. 1t is
a good test to make. But it would be
still better if, instead Of putting a
limit to the duration of the abstinence,
and a forfeit for violation. our friends
had simply resolved to let the internal
stuff alone for all time. 1t is not. as
a general thing, good idea to swear
off" A man who cannot quit by
simple agreement or determination to
do so-as in the case of these friends
cannot be held any the more firmly
to his purpose, or rather promise, by
the obligation of an oath. The way
to quit is to quit, and we are pleased
to see young men, or men of any age,
band themselves together for mutual
assistance in this good determination
to avoid being slaves to the Drink De-
mon.
One Of the strong points-in fact
the strongest pofht-in the work OF
Satan among men, is his lying and de-
ception. And as the liquor business
is his principal method of working
among men, there is more lying con-
nected with that than any other
branch of Satan's work. Among the
most disgusting lies connected with
this crime is that thrown out by the
doggery-keeper that "a man who ad-
vocates Temperance seeks to destroy
his own personal liberty" Let's see
The man that drinks, then, is the man
that has personal liberty, and he who
drinks most has most personal liberty.
It must be that way. A young man
goes into-a doggery, walks up to the
counter and orders his first drink. He
does this in the full exercise of his
personal freedom. The keeper of the
place smiles, pats him on the back,
and says: "That's right Be man
Stand by your personal liberty That
is what the man hears, but close OBJ
server might discern between the
words the confident declaration i've
taken contract to deliver your soul
to Satan and your body to the>worms,
for so much money"
The young man goes on for a few
weeks, and we find him down in the
gutter. But even mere his personal
freedom asserts itself, having reached
such point that the man is divided
against himself, and the stomach re-
bels and discharges the load Of en-
blems of liberty furnished by the
large-hearted (D friend behind the bar.
But we get him mp from this, and he
goes On his way. Look at him in
few months. He comes, covering, into
the den where he has spent his earn
ings for so long, and his pleadings are
far more heart-crushing, as he begs
for liquor for which he is no longer
able to pay, than the most agonizing
that ever came from a slave whose
bare back was smarting under the lash.
Now where is the personal liberty ?
True, the doggery-keeper knew, when
the first drink was taken, just where
the fellow would land, and that he
was binding about himself chains Of
the most abiect slavery. In short,
personal liberty" from a doggery
standpoint, is simply personal slavery
to the fellow who keeps the den, and
who cannot, seemingly, understand
how any man could have the hardi-
hood to deny his right to live as he
does. The man who seeks personal
liberty in doggery, is making slave
Of himself, most pitiable, disgusting
bondman. We are glad that so many
men seem to be awakening to sense
Of the disgrace and crime attaching to
this business. 1t is time for earnest |
effort on the part of every man having
the good of his family, and other
mems families, at neart. Too long
has this country been domineered over
by gang of bloated brutes. Let us
see to it hereafter that sober, decent,
Christian men, and none other, control
our affairs. A man who will not
pledge himself to do all in his power
against the doggery crime, is not fit
man to receive the votes of good citi-
zens. No matter who it hits, such is
The fact. The American people are
not quite ready to tear down the
American flag and stuff it into bung
hole.
Men are aften the victims Of sudden
impulse, and what sometimes seems
ridiculous demonstration would not